1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery pack locking apparatus for mobile communication terminals, and more particularly to an apparatus that is capable of detachably locking a battery pack to a terminal body of a mobile communication terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a battery pack 10, which serves to supply electric power to a mobile communication terminal, is detachably locked to the rear part of a terminal body 1 of the mobile communication terminal, as shown in FIG. 1. The battery pack 10 is locked to or detached from the terminal body 1 by means of a battery pack locking apparatus 20 mounted to the terminal body 1.
The battery pack 10 may be locked to the rear part of the terminal body 1 through the use of a slide-type locking mechanism for slidably locking pack 10 to the rear part of the terminal body 1 by means of guide ribs and a latching member, so that the battery pack 10 is pushed toward the terminal body 1 until the battery pack 10 is completely locked to the terminal body 1.
The battery pack 10 is typically provided at front and rear parts of the lower end thereof with electric contacts (not shown) such that at least one pair of the electric contacts are exposed. The electric contacts provided on the front surface of the battery pack 10 contact electric contacts (not shown) formed on an electric charger when the battery pack 10 is to be charged while the electric contacts provided at the rear part of the battery pack 10 contact electric contacts (not shown) formed on the rear surface of the terminal body 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, the battery pack 10 is detachably locked to the rear part of the terminal body 1 by means of the conventional battery pack locking apparatus 20 mounted to the terminal body 1, specifically to a rear casing frame 1a of the terminal body 1.
The terminal body 1 is provided with a battery pack space 1b formed at the rear casing frame la. At one end of the battery pack space 1b is formed electric contacts (not shown). At a prescribed position of the rear casing frame 1a adjacent to the other end of the battery pack locking space 1b is formed a mounting groove 1c, in which the battery pack apparatus 10 is mounted for locking the battery pack 10 to the terminal body 1.
When the battery pack 10 constructed as described above is to be locked to the terminal body 1, the battery pack 10 is fitted into the battery pack space 1b of the terminal body 1. At this time, lockers 21 of the battery pack locking apparatus 20 are engaged into an engaging groove 11 formed at the battery pack 10 (See FIG. 2). Consequently, the battery pack 10 is securely locked to the terminal body 1 by means of the lockers 21.
When the battery pack 10 is to be detached from the terminal body 1, the lockers 21 are pulled toward the upper end of the terminal body 1, by sliding the lockers away from the battery pack. As a result, the lockers 21 are disengaged from the engaging groove 11 of the battery pack 10, and therefore the battery pack 10 may be detached from the terminal body 1.
The mounting groove 1c has a sufficient space defined therein so that the lockers 21 can be slid toward the upper and lower ends of the terminal body 1.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the construction of the conventional battery pack locking apparatus for mobile communication terminals shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the conventional battery pack locking apparatus 20 includes two guide ribs 23, which are mounted to the rear casing frame 1a to guide the guide ribs 23 toward the front and the rear of the terminal body 1.
At one end of each guide rib 23 is formed a hooking member 23a, which is by means of a corresponding catching protrusion 2 formed on the rear casing frame 1a. Consequently, separation of the lockers 21 from the engaging groove 11 of the battery pack 10 is effectively prevented during a sliding movement of the lockers 21 toward the upper/lower end of the terminal body 1 once the lockers 21 are engaged into the engaging groove 11. The battery pack locking apparatus 20 further includes an elastic member, such as a spring 30, for providing a prescribed elastic force to the lockers 21. The spring 30 presses against the lockers while being supported by means of the rear casing frame 1a. 
With the conventional battery pack locking apparatus for mobile communication terminals, however, it is necessary that a sufficient space be provided in the mounting groove, in which the lockers can be slid toward the upper and lower ends of the terminal body. As a result, the size of the terminal body of the mobile communication terminal is increased, and the external appearance of the mobile communication terminal is poor. As a further result, the structure of the battery pack locking apparatus is very complicated, which deteriorates productivity and reliability of the battery pack locking apparatus. The space groove must also be kept clear of debris.
Also, it is necessary that the lockers be pulled toward the upper end of the terminal body while the lockers are pressed by means of a fingernail of a user when the battery pack is to be detached from the terminal body. As a result, the fingernail of the user may be injured.